The USDA is challenging you to show how you’re adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet without straining your budget.

The USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) is challenging the public to create inspiring and instructive videos showing how they’ve improved their eating habits by adding more fruits and vegetables. In particular, participants are asked to share ideas that are cost effective and can help others improve their eating habits. Eating more fruits and vegetables is an important recommendation from the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

ChooseMyPlate.gov offers a wealth of information based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans to educate and inform adults and children over the age of 2. MyPlate is a visual reminder to help people make better food choices and eat right at mealtimes, and shows that about half of your plate should consist of vegetables and fruits. A healthy meal also includes lean protein foods, grains (about half of which should be whole grains), and low-fat/fat-free dairy foods in the amounts that are right for you.

The MyPlate Fruits and Veggies Video Challenge will award $9,000 in total prizes in three video categories, including three First Prize Winners, who will each receive $1,500; three Second Prize Winners, who will each receive $1,000; and three Popular Choice Winners, who will each receive $500. Winners will be featured on the ChooseMyPlate.gov website and potentially also on partner websites.

The competition is open to individuals and teams of individuals who are residents of the United States and its territories. Video submissions must be approximately 30 seconds long and must be accompanied by a text description of what the entrant(s) did to increase fruits and vegetables in their diets, as well as a transcript of the video.

Team members must be at least 18, but your video can include minors under 18 as long as the necessary consent forms are provided. ("Team members" do not include people who appear in the video but don't make any other contributions to the submission.) For details on eligibility, review the Official Rules.

About the USDA CNPP

The USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion was established in 1994 to improve the nutrition and well-being of Americans. Toward this goal, the Center focuses its efforts on two primary objectives: advancing and promoting dietary guidance for all Americans, and conducting applied research and analyses in nutrition and consumer economics.

Create a video approximately 30 seconds long, highlighting one (1) way you’ve added fruits and vegetables to your diet without straining your budget. Choose one of these categories: tips for kids, tips when eating at home, or tips when eating away from home.

Confirm that you have read and agreed to the Official Rules. Submit your video by including a link to the video on YouTube.com; a text description of what you did to add more fruits and vegetables to your diet; and a transcript of the video.

Judges

The USDAJudging will be performed by the USDA

Judging Criteria

Quality of the Idea
Includes elements such as creativity and originality

Implementation of the Idea
Includes elements such as the quality and creativity of the video

Potential Impact on Healthy Eating Habits
Includes how instructive, easy-to-follow, and cost-effective the idea is